Bath apparatus



Nov. 13, 1928.

J. LANG BATH APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1928 ly circulated through at thecorrecttemperawhich a support .is provided permitting the Patented Nov."13, 1928.

res PA JOHN LANG, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN.

BATHv APPARATUS.

Application filed March 29, 1 92s. S .eria1No. 265,534.

-This invention relates to a bathv apparatu i Objects of this inventionare to provide a novel type of bath apparatus which is so constructedthat treating fluid is continuous I the tub and isauto-v maticallymaintained ture so as to provide for the treating oi patients with atreating solution in constant circulation and at aconstant,predetermined temperature. i L

Further objects are to provide a bath apparatus for treating patients,which is so constructedthat the moving. solution pro ducesamassage-action on the body, and in exposure ot' the spine and adjacentparts or" thebody to the action of thewater,

- Further objects are to provide a device which may be associated with atub approximating a conventional provide for thecomfort of the patientwhile he isrbeing treated.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 isa side elevation of the apparatustwith parts broken away andin section; Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the-line 2' 2 ofFigure 1 v Figure 3 is a sectional 3-3 of Figure 1 Figure 41 is a planview of the body support 7 for the patient with the supporting straps ii-section.

Referr ng with the rear. part thereof elevated so that the'patient maylie upon :the support. and have his bodyheld in aslantingmanner with thespine exposed through the space 6. i

Means are provided for initially filling the tub' ivith hot and coldwater, for instance, byimeans of the pipes 7 and 8 controlled by thevalves 9 and 10/ These pipes communicate with 'theinlet pipe 11 leadinginto the tub, as is apparent from Figures 2 and 3. A pipe 12communicates with the inlet pipeand extends to the outlet end of arotary pump 13. The inlet portion of the pump is connected by means of apipe 14 with a heati'ng tank 15. The tank is able manner, asby means tuband which will view on the line to the drawingsfitwill seen that a;tub 1is provided andis equippedwith 2 which enter 6 between them,

is supplied by means of a pipe16 leading to the outlet pipe 17 from thetub. The pipe 16 is controlled by means of a valve 18. Further,a'discha'rge pipe 19 leading to the outlet. pipe 17 oithe tub isprovided'an'd has a control valve 20.

The pump 13 may be driven in any suitof an electric motor whose outlineis indicated by the dotted lines 21 in Figurel. 7 I

The heating tank 15 is mounted below the beaded or rolled upper edge 22of the tub, as shown in Figure 2, and a hinged flap 23 is carried b thebea ded edge and extends downwardly to a point below the heating tank15. This heating tank maybe supported in any suitable manner as by meansof the brackets 24 extending outwardly fronr is controlled-Thy anelectromagnet-ically operated valve 26'. A

pilot burner 27 is positioned: adjacent the burner 25 so as,to;ignitethe gas whenever the valve26is opened. I r

The magnet 28 of the valve '26 is. con trolled by means ofa thermostat29 locatedwithin the heating tank 15 so as to maintain the temperatureof the Water in the tank 15 at afconstant temperature. In view of thefact thatl this water is in constant circulation, it isflatonceapparenti'that'the entire body of water is maintained at asubstantiallyconstant. temperature. K g

The circuit for the magnet 28 isjalso controlledby fa manually operableswitch30 so that'it may be opened whenever; it is-desiredto discontinue.the heating of thet'ank, as "for example, after a treatment isfinished;

In using the apparatus, the waste valve 20 is closed and the tub isfilled to approximately thelevel indicated by the line 31 in Figure 1.This filling of the tub may befwith either hot or cold water through thepipes 7 and 8, as required. The exact temperature desired may be easilyobtained for the initiation of the treatment. mostat 29 is set for thedesired. temperature and will maintain the temperature of the waterconstant. v r i The motor charge valve 32 "(see Figure 1) and the inletvalve 18 are opened, so that water freely circulates from the tubthrough the heating tank and back into the tub without requiring theaddition of any further supply of water from Thereafter, the ther-,

21 is the'nfstarted anal-he dis-K the hot and cold supply pipes 7, and8.The desired chemical or treating medicine may be added at any portion inthe system so as pipe is located directly beneath the patient so thatthe drift of water is towards the patient and thus all portions'of hisbody are.

swept over by the travelling Water. 'Thus, the solution is keptconstantly agitated and in constant motion over the patients body, whileat the same time the temperature'is maintained constant.

It is to be distinctly understood that other types of heaters may beemployed instead of For instance, in certain installations, it maybepreferable to use an electric heater controlled by the therthe gasburner illustrated.

mosta't.

Further, ity is desirable to provide a fl'oat 38 controlling an electricswitch 3tconnected v 1n the motor ci-rcuit and thus controlling themotor, as indicated in Figure l.' The purpose of this construction is toprevent the motor from withdrawing too .much water from the heating tank15 at any one time,

and instead tomain tain, a substantially constant'level within suchtank.

It will be seen further that the apparatus,

is relatively simple, is automatic in its'action,

' and may beset to the exact requirements of t'he individual case.

Althoug the invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescriptionlis intended as illustrative rather than limiting as, theinvention maybe variously embodied and as the scope of such invention isto 'be'determined as claimed.

I claim:

1.v A bathfapparatus comprising a tub; adapted to receive atpatient, andmeans for circulating a fluid throughthe tub, said tub having anadjustable inclined support for holding the patient in an inclinedposition, said support having a cut-away portion to expose the spine andthe associated'regions V g of the patients body.

2. In a bath apparatus, the combination of a tub, means for maintainingthe temperature of the liquid carried within the tub ata' con,-

stant value, and a circulatory pump-fur owsing a constant circulation ofwater through the tub, said means for maintaining constant temperaturecomprising a heating'tank com municating with the tub, and athermostatieally'conti'olled burner for heatin said tank.

3. In a bath apparatus, the com inationof atub, a heating-tankcarried bythe tub and having a pipe leading into the tank and conr municating withthe lower portion 0% thetub, a driven pump having its intake commuriieating with said tank" and? its, =outlet openi-ng into said tub, aburner located below said tank, a pilot light for said burner, an;electro magnetic valve forcontrolhn g said burner,

and a thermostat controlling saijd'valve and located within said. tank.

4;. In a bathapparatusflhe combination-of! a tub, a heating tank carriedby the tub and having a pipe leading into the tank-and'com' munica-tingwith the lower portion oftlietul), a driven pump having-itsintake-communi'ca-ting with said tank and its'outlet opening: I

into said tub, a burner-located below said tank, a pilot light forsaidibu-rner, an electromagnetic valve for controlling said "burner, anda, thermostat controlling said vailveand located within said tank, andaaflap hingedly carried by said tuband overhangingsaid tank and saidburner.

5. A bath apparatus comprising a tub? adapted to receive a patient and.adapted-to contain a treating fluid, pipes forrh'otand cold Waterhaving, manuallyhoperable valves for controlling the initial ffi-llingofthetub, a discharge pipe, a'valve controlling the-discharge throughsaid last mentioned pipe, a

heating tank associatedwithsaid' tu'b and communicating'with saiddischarge pipe, a clrculating pump communicat ng at its, 71ntakeendWllillSELlCl tank and at its outlet' end with said tub, heating meansassociated; with;

said tank,and a thermostat positionedwithin said tank for controllingsaid heating means. Y

' 6. In :a bath "apparatus, thecombi'nation o f a tub, means formaintainingthe temperatureZ-of the liquid carried within thetub ataiconstant degree, comprising a heatingftankf' communicating with themeat-a a thermdstatically cont-rolled burner for heating said} tank, amotor driven circulatory'pump rm; causing circulation of water throughthe tub, and'a float controlledswitch mounted within; said tank forcontrolling'said motor drivenj pump. v g Y I. i

In testimony that I-cl'aim the foregoin-ggl have hereunto set my hand.at Wauwatosa,in

the county-of Milwaukee and StateofWis: consin'. JOHN Lanes

